Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-06-16
ON THE FARM.

ing TO advantage his tall, muscular
figure. A broad straw hat shaded his
handsome face. The hands that guild
ed the plow were strong hands, but
winter and more delicate than such
pursuits usually allow.
Daisy Hale sat watching him. Her
dress was print, but made with f1oun-
ces on the skirt and ruffles on the
waist. She wore jaunty hat covered
with puffs of white muslin and bows
of blue ribbon to match the spots upon
her dress.
The face under D4isy's hat was
gloomy, not to say cross. A pretty
face, but not pleasant, having petted,
spoiled child frown and a brooding
discomfort in the large blue eyes.
Presently the farmer drew near to
her, and, taking off his hat, famed
himself with it, while he stopped his
horses and leaned indolently against
the plow.
You look deliciously cool under
this great tree,' he said. And-hem!
very much dress for 8 O'Clock in
the morning"
I'm Gve-penny calico, she said,
contemptuously. 1T is too absurd for
you to be plowing, and hoeing, and
mixing cows, and doing the work of 4
laboring man! l thought when you
came home from college You would do
something besides work on farm
and let the farm go to ruin. That
would be poor way to pay my dtbts.
Your debtsp she said, looking
astonished. DO you owe debts?'
Certainly! You and a:e both
heavily in debt. Daisy l think when
Aunt Mary took US IN poor little
orphans, | her nephew, you her third
cousin, all the money she saved in
life OF hard work Wa" :"
-na"~-" -. spent upon our
.,.4.aulon. Do you know that she
has nothing but the farm, and that to
take her away from it would probably
shorten her llfe?'
But you could send her money, if
you were in the city in some gentle
manly occupation
Perhaps SO. ten or twelve years
from now. Today propose to work
this farm and see how many bushels
of corn can raise on it,
He took hold of the plow handles as
he spoke, started the horses and left
her, her eyes full of angry tears.
lie might as we'll have said what
he meant, she thought, springing
down and starting for the house. He
thinks l ought to cook and make but
ter and work like servant girl, when
l have studied so hard and tried to
make myself lady, that he might
not be ashamed of me-
AS she drew near the house tie
sting of Johns words penetrated more
and more through the crust she had
drawn ovor her heart, until fresh
stab had met her at the door. Look
ing in at the open door she saw a
white head bowed in weeping, slight
figure shaken by sobs.
Quickly through all the sel6shness,
selfreproach struck at the girls heart,
and in moment she was on her knees
beside the low chair, her arms around
the weeping woman.
oh, Aunt Mary, what is it? Oh,
please don't cry so! Oh, what has
happened''
why, Daisy, dear'-through sons
that would not be checked at a
moments notice-'don't mind me,
I'm only tired, dearie only tired
Now. l will darken the window.
Daisy said, and you are to rest! Sleep,
if you can, until dinner time
But, Daisy, you cannot make the
dinner
Il will try, was the quick reply; and
Aunt Mary submitted.
Washing the potatoes, shelling peas,
frying ham, making coffee, all allowed
thought to be busy, and Daisy signing
ly put away some of her day-dreams
over her homely tasks.
She had taken of her founces and
hat and put on plain dress and large
check apron before she began to work,
and she was rather astonished as her
kitchen duties progressed to find her,
self happier than she had been since
she returned home.
When John came to dinner he WAS
astonlshed to find Aunt Mary 'qui e
dressed up as she blushingly said, III
a clean dress and white apron, her
dear old face showing no sign of heat
or WEAKNESS, while Daisy, with added
bloom and bare white arms, was carry.
ing in the dinner
The new girl. at your service, she
said, saucily, as she pulled down her
sleeves. Dinner is ready, sir.
But her lips quivered as he bent
over her and whispered, God bless
you. dear! Forgive me if I was too
nasty this morning.
John said but little as the day wore
on and still found Daisy at her post.
It was not in the nature of things for
Aunt Mary to sit with folded hands,
but it became Daisy's task to inaugu-
rate daily maps, to see that only the
light work came to the older hands, to
.,oo1>o jo;l,, ,,,orIz Ioee of n +o;l onI